Nursing Compassion Paper
Compassion is often described with key qualities such as the motivation to be sensitive, caring, and being able to tolerate and understand distress (Gilbert, 2005,
2010). Compassion is understood universally as a communicated sense of empathy, a demonstration of kindnesses between individuals (Spandler & Stickley, 2011). It is closely associated with sympathy, tenderness, warmth, and caring (Goetz, Keltner, &
Simon-Thomas, 2010). Compassion acknowledges ‘knowing’ of suffering, and offers comfort. One of the main characteristics of a nurse’s role is to use clinical judgment to protect, promote, advocate, and alleviate suffering for clients (van der
Cingel, 2009). Hence, empathy from a social science perspective involves understanding the concept
2010). Compassion is understood universally as a communicated sense of empathy, a demonstration of kindnesses between individuals (Spandler & Stickley, 2011). It is closely associated with sympathy, tenderness, warmth, and caring (Goetz, Keltner, &
Simon-Thomas, 2010). Compassion acknowledges ‘knowing’ of suffering, and offers comfort. One of the main characteristics of a nurse’s role is to use clinical judgment to protect, promote, advocate, and alleviate suffering for clients (van der
Cingel, 2009). Hence, empathy from a social science perspective involves understanding the concept